Building a confident and cohesive Singapore in a post COVID-19 world

We come alive, survive and thrive on connectivity, without which we become pedestrian and unexceptional, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said in a speech made at the Civil Service College’s Social-Economic Nexus Speaking Engagement Series. This is why Singapore has spent decades building our trade networks through our FTA strategy, as well as air and […]
Diversity is key to alleviating the unhealthy stress of pursuing the same definition of success: Chan Chun Sing

Singapore must build diversity in our schools, strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning in our schools, and nurture soft skills that endure, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said. “In an uncertain world, diversity is key to our resilience as a country. In a hyper-competitive world, diversity is also key to alleviating the unhealthy […]
The GRC system keeps political parties multiracial. Keep it, not abolish it.

Briefly speaking, the GRC system does two things: Ensure minority representation in Parliament; Ensure political parties are multiracial in composition. Of the two points, the second is lesser known. Most of us understand that the GRC system exists for the purpose of ensuring minority representation in Parliament. But not all agree that the system is […]
Racial intolerance goes against our founding values as a nation: Chan Chun Sing

Racial intolerance goes against our founding values as a nation, and has no place in our society, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said. The recent spate of racist incidents go against what we stand for in Singapore, he said. In recent days, a man allegedly kicked a 55-year-old Indian Singaporean woman in her chest and […]
The CMIO classification affirms multiracialism and matters more for minorities

There have been calls from some quarters – including the Workers’ Party – to abolish the CMIO classification. Some called for a relook of the model. They question if it is still relevant. Others claim that it makes us look at people through through the lens of race. In an op-ed written for the Straits […]
Vital for Singaporean Youths to Embrace Globalisation

Covid-19 may have brought overseas travel to a halt, but it is still important for young Singaporeans to understand their region better and gain a global perspective on issues, said Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, as well as Trade and Industry at a webinar for some 1,200 youth participants […]
Full text of Lawrence Wong’s speech on race and racism

Finance Minister Mr Lawrence Wong’s speech on MULTIRACIALISM AND FAULTLINES delivered at the IPS-RSIS Forum on Race and Racism on 25 June 2021. The speech reproduced in full: Excellencies and distinguished guests Ladies and gentlemen I am very happy to join you for this seminar today. Lately, several worrying incidents have given us pause to […]
Majority must take extra step to make minority feel comfortable: Lawrence Wong

Our multi-racialism is not perfect and we have to keep working at it deliberately to reduce our imperfections, step by step, Finance Minister Mr Lawrence Wong said at the IPS-RSIS Forum on Race and Racism (June 2021). We got to where we are today not through confrontation or compulsion but through mutual understanding and compromise, […]
Singapore’s multiracialism preserves, protects and celebrates our diversity: Lawrence Wong

Race is a highly emotive topic because the question of race is wrapped up with our identities, our cultures, our ways of life, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said. “The natural instinct of humans is to look out for people who are most like us, and to view others with suspicion,” Mr Wong said in his […]
Mufti Nazirudin welcomes updates on tudung; exchanges letters with PM Lee

The Mufti of Singapore welcomes updates from the government on a likely shift in allowing Muslim nurses to wear the tudung at the workplace. In a letter to PM Lee that is dated 27 March, the Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir expressed Muis’ deep appreciation of the opportunity to ‘continuously provide feedback and inputs on many […]